


Saving Suzaku Kururugi

by Shadowstalk (NeoDiji)



Category: Code Geass
Genre: Alternate Approach, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, No pairings - Freeform, Secret Revelation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2020-03-26 15:29:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19008622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeoDiji/pseuds/Shadowstalk
Summary: “You both knew Suzaku as a child. I assume by your relationships with him that you are privy to the truth behind Genbu Kururugi’s death.”Tohdoh and Kirihara exchanged surprised glances.“I’ve never told a soul,” Tohdoh said, his eyebrows furrowing with apprehension. “How do you know about that?”“Never mind.” Zero waved it off and leaned forward on the couch, gesturing emphatically. “What matters is that we must come together for Suzaku’s sake. He is trapped in the past, fighting fresh trauma every day. If we truly wish for him to join the Black Knights—to believe in our ways, not simply be coerced into joining us—then we must reach his heart.” Pressing his palm over his chest to illustrate his point, Zero argued, “To do that, we must help him cope with his inner demons so he can grow and change. We must SAVE him.”





	Saving Suzaku Kururugi

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Code Geass is synonymous with "that masterpiece I don't own."
> 
> A/N: Canon-divergent from Episode 17 of R1, right after Suzaku is outed as the pilot of the Lancelot. (To be honest, one of my FAVORITE what-if canon-divergent points...)
> 
> Gen, no pairings, though the bond between Lelouch and Suzaku is canon-level deep. So, take from that what you will.

Suzaku was his enemy.

 _Suzaku_ was his enemy.

Suzaku was his _enemy_.

Lelouch’s heart stung with the deepest betrayal, scraped raw by devastation, desperation, and he had to claw his way back to some semblance of sanity through sheer force of will. If only he hadn’t already used Geass on himself…

But no, it had been necessary to achieve victory against Mao. Besides, Lelouch refused to taint his friendship with Suzaku by using the power. Lelouch was strong enough to push through this for Suzaku’s sake, living by his own strength, and nothing could take that away from him. While the stakes were high, Lelouch had faced worse obstacles.

Even if, at the moment, his entire world was collapsing.

-+-

Bit by bit, Lelouch vowed to build his world anew. That was the whole point, wasn’t it? And while he salvaged the remnants of his plans, he lay the groundwork for a new structure. He forced himself to sit through the emergency meetings with the inner circle of his Black Knights, tampering down panic when Diethard insisted on killing Suzaku.

It was a smart suggestion.

If the target had been anyone else…

But no, Lelouch could not fathom hurting a hair on Suzaku’s head, let alone _murdering_ him. His stomach burned with indigestion at the mere thought, and the acid rose, rose, rose until he was choking on violations and despair. His soul seared with the need to protect his friend—Suzaku wasn’t just any old somebody, he was _special_ , dammit—and every countermeasure Lelouch considered was discarded as a surface-level solution.

“Use your Geass on him,” C.C. suggested, and Lelouch trembled with feeling because how dare she not realize how important Suzaku was to him? Hadn’t he made it perfectly obvious that Suzaku lay outside his normal boundaries? Geass was not the answer to everything, and it certainly wasn’t the answer to this.

No, this situation required something with a little more finesse.

Guilt rolled in his stomach as he plotted to capture Suzaku, to neutralize him as a threat while secretly ensuring his safety. To turn him by conventional force, if possible. To blackmail him with the sins of his past. But even if such approaches worked, in the end, Suzaku would hate him. Not even Lelouch could justify those methods—not when Suzaku himself was on the line. Not when Suzaku was already so deeply mired in his own darkness…

That—presented possibilities, but left Lelouch with only one real option.

-+-

Zero waited until he was sure they were alone before speaking, keeping his voice as hushed as the mask’s built-in amplifiers would allow. In the dim-lit main room of the Black Knights’ mobile base, he glanced between Kyoshiro Tohdoh and Taizo Kirihara. “You both knew Suzaku as a child. I assume by your relationships with him that you are privy to the truth behind Genbu Kururugi’s death.”

Tohdoh and Kirihara exchanged surprised glances.

“I’ve never told a soul,” Tohdoh said, his eyebrows furrowing with apprehension. “How do you know about that?”

“Never mind.” Zero waved it off and leaned forward on the couch, gesturing emphatically. “What matters is that we must come together for Suzaku’s sake. He is trapped in the past, fighting fresh trauma every day. If we truly wish for him to join the Black Knights—to believe in our ways, not simply be coerced into joining us—then we must reach his heart.” Pressing his palm over his chest to illustrate his point, Zero argued, “To do that, we must help him cope with his inner demons so he can grow and change. We must _save_ him.”

Kirihara frowned. “How do you expect we do that? We’re not trained psychologists.”

Zero dipped his head in agreement. His thoughts were still roiling, but a part of him deep inside believed he was doing the right thing—even if it was harder, even if it would take longer, even if it didn’t necessarily pan out to result in his grand vision. If, at the very least, Suzaku could find peace—then so be it. These men were the perfect ones to assist in this endeavor. “I understand, but you both played a pivotal role in that key incident. You had the power to influence him then, and you have the power to influence him now.”

Tohdoh nodded thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. “I want to do right by Suzaku.”

“You were his boyhood mentor,” Zero pointed out softly. Nostalgia pricked his heart, and this wasn’t even his childhood. “You can reach him.”

Narrowing his eyes, Tohdoh asked with slight skepticism, “How do you know so much about all this, anyway?”

Kirihara chuckled. “You might as well come clean, Zero. After all, you were an important part of Suzaku’s childhood, too.”

At Tohdoh’s confused head tilt, Zero sighed and cautiously removed his mask. He set it beside him on the couch, forgotten. Logic whirled in protest at the reveal, but Suzaku was Lelouch’s chink in armor. “You’re right. For his sake, if I must.”

Tohdoh blinked, his face wrinkling with confusion. “Zero, you’re a Britannian teenager? But how—”

Lelouch threw his head back and laughed, the sound reverberating around the base. “Think harder, Tohdoh- _sensei_. What Britannian boy was Suzaku so close to before the war broke out?”

At that, Tohdoh jumped to his feet. “Y-you! I thought you looked familiar, but—but I heard you died during the invasion, Your Highness.”

Smirking, Lelouch leaned his chin on his hand. “All a ploy, per my purposes.”

“Then…”

“I will do what I must to bring Britannia to her knees,” Lelouch promised, projecting truth and passion through his declaration. His fingers curled into a fist on his crossed knee. “I will also save Suzaku. There is no turning back.”

Both men nodded. Tohdoh reclaimed his seat.

Lelouch pressed the tips of his fingers together. “I understand Suzaku truly believes that he is doing the best thing, that his actions will bring about better lives for the Japanese people in the long run. While his intentions are pure, he is misguided.” Lelouch sighed, remembering Suzaku’s obstinate refusals to listen to reason. What an idiot, and yet Lelouch couldn’t bear to drop him. “When you meet with him, be open, but make sure you let him say his piece and work through his issues. He has to come to the truth on his own.”

Tohdoh bowed his head. “When we last met, during our Knightmare battle, I encouraged him to continue down the path of his beliefs.”

“That was all well and good,” Lelouch said, tossing his head, “but with more time and in more favorable circumstances, you can dig deeper and transform the root of his thinking. Make your lie a reality. Change his core beliefs!”

Kirihara shifted in the darkness. “And what will you do?”

Lelouch allowed his smirk to soften. “I’ll work on Suzaku from my vantage point as a best friend, who has his best interests at heart. Between us, working from a variety of angles, we can help him come to terms with reality.” A myriad of possibilities gripped him, centered him, focused his resolve. “I’ll arrange for a private meeting—say, at the abandoned Kururugi Shrine?”

Tohdoh and Kirihara exchanged another glance before meeting Lelouch’s eyes.

“For Japan,” Kirihara finally agreed.

“For Suzaku,” Tohdoh said, exuding silent strength—the will of a mentor to guide his charge.

Lelouch’s smile eased into something genuine, and the piercing pain in his soul dulled to a quiet ache. The roar in the back of his head subsided, supplemented by the soft tranquility of hope and prospect. Again placing his hand over his own heart, he echoed, “For Suzaku.”

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos, comments, bookmarks, and/or Tumblr interactions are all much appreciated and make my heart squee with joy.


End file.
